


Tessarae

by Plumetta



Series: Turning Tweleve [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-11
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-11 22:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1178731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haymitch is 12 and gets his first Tessarae</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tessarae

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins

Haymitch woke up to his mother gently shaking his arm. She did that when she didn’t want to wake up his brother. Sometimes it was to help her lift heavy bags of laundry sometimes to kill a rat that got in the house. He rubbed his eyes. “Everything okay? He mouthed

She kissed him on the cheek. She whispered in his ear. “Are you sure about today? You don’t have to…we can make do.”

He nodded glanced at his brother and said. “I’m sure. I’m going after school.

She frowned “I’ll meet you outside the Justice building at four o’clock with the cart.

He whispered back. “What about Garrett? I don’t want to take him inside with me.

“Send him home with Thom Allerton. I’ll pick him up on the way home but tell him after school. He doesn’t deal well with surprises.

She got off the bed and said in a loud voice. “Boys, wake up. Time for school.

Garrett was always slow to wake up. Haymitch was washed and dressed before his brother even rolled over.

Haymitch pulled the blanket off him. “Get up. I don’t want to be late today. 

Garrett yawned. “What difference does it make? Its Wednesday the first class will be about The Treaty of Treason. We’ve heard it a million times.”

Haymitch sighed. He actually had forgotten that. He said. “We’ve been late twice this month. If I’m late again Miss Thompson will make me stay after school. I have somewhere to go today.

That got Garrett’s attention. “Where would you go? It’s your birthday. Unless you have money for cookies.

“Where would I get money for cookies?” He tried to think of a believable lie. “Mom needs me to deliver her laundry to the butchers. It’s too heavy for her.

Garrett didn’t like going to the butchers, aside from the fact it always made him hungry, the butcher’s son always teased him for not having a father and being from the Seam. 

“I don’t want to go. Garrett said. Can I walk home by myself?

“No. Thom Allerton will take you home.

Garrett groaned. “His little sisters talk too much. You were walking by yourself at 8.

“It was closer to 9 and the answer is still No.”

At lunchtime Haymitch caught up with Thom. “Listen can you walk my little brother back to the Seam and keep him at your house for a while?

“Sure, where you late again?”

“No. It’s my….birthday.

Thom understood. “My birthday is next month. Will you take my little sisters home that day?

“Yeah.

After school he signed up for the Tessarae, met his mother and he filled the cart with the grain.

They walked home mostly in silence when his mother said. “Did you tell Garrett?’

“Not yet.”

“Haymitch.

“He would have followed me into the Justice Building. I didn’t want him to see me sign the papers.

“He’s going to be very upset.” His mother said.

“I know but it’s done.

His mother turned down the road to the Allertons and Haymitch pushed the cart home to put the grain and oil in the cupboard. He had put all but the last jar away when he heard the door open and slam. His brother ran into the kitchen and looked at him with such anger, he actually thought his father had returned from the dead in the very small form of his brother.

“How could you? How could you do that? Garrett yelled. 

“Garrett, most kids do it. I’ll be fine. I’m no more at risk than anyone else in the Seam.

Garrett grabbed the jar from the table and smashed it on the floor. “How can that be worth your life?”

Their mother walked in, grabbed Garrett by the arm and pulled him into her bedroom. Mom rarely lost her temper but she was furious with Garrett. Haymitch ran after them just as his mother was just getting the belt out of the closet. “Mom, please don’t…he over-reacted. You were right I should have told him.

She faced her older son. “He can’t be allowed to waste food. Especially when the price is so high.

He looked at his brother who was already crying. He said harshly. “Garrett, you know we don’t have food to waste. If you ever do anything like that again, Mom hitting you will be the least of your problems.

His brother nodded obediently and Haymitch felt the change in their relationship. He wasn’t just an older brother. He was acting like Garrett’s father and their mother wasn’t stopping him.

Mom sighed and undid her long blonde braids and said. “Boys, let’s go to the kitchen. They salvaged what grain they could from the floor and threw out the broken glass. Mom told Garrett to sit down.

“Honey, I know you’re angry at your brother and you’re scared about him having more entries, so am I. That being said destroying what he got for us is not acceptable. All you’ve accomplished is seeing to it that I eat less this month.

Garrett was confused. . “No, Mom. I broke it so you don’t use the Tessarae on me till next month. 

Mom shook her head. “I don’t think that will teach you a lesson Garrett, besides Haymitch won’t let you go hungry. He won’t eat himself and that’s not right. It’s his Tessarae, he’s the one at risk, he should at least have a half-full stomach to show for it. So the only solution is I won’t use any on me this month. I’ll make do like always. Your brother is trying to make things a little easier for us, in the future don’t make things more difficult for him. 

Garrett started to cry and Haymitch followed his mother into her room. “Mom, we have two jars. That’s more than yesterday, we’ll just share it.

She shook her head. ‘No. He has to understand the seriousness of what he did. Starting next month we share like always but this month I’m only using it on the two of you.

“Mom, he’s just a little kid. He’d have felt less bad if you hit him.

“You’re right, this will make more of an impression. Besides I’m not going to starve, like you said we didn’t have any yesterday so my life is no different.

“I can share mine with you Mom.”

“Absolutely not. This is just as much for you as him. You’re becoming a man, providing for your family. I didn’t like your decision but I respected it. You should have told him today. I told you to do that. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to meet you with that grain? Then to come home and see it was for nothing. If I could take better care of my kids they wouldn’t have to……She couldn’t hold her tears back.

He put his arms around her. “Mom….it’s not your fault. It’s just the way things are.

She hugged him back. “I know. I just wish it was different.

No one was particularly hungry that night so they just had some toast and went to bed. Garrett said to his brother after he turned the light out. “I’m sorry Haymitch. I’m sorry I ruined your birthday. I’m sorry for everything.

Haymitch rolled over to face him. “I know you are. I’m sorry too. Mom told me to tell you what I was doing but I thought you’d throw a fit.

“I probably would have. I never would have broken that jar though if I knew Mom…

Haymitch shushed him. “I know. Nothing to do about it now. Let’s just go to sleep and when we get up it will be a new day.

He woke up to his mother gently shaking his arm. He rubbed his eyes and mouthed “Everything okay?

She smiled. “It’s fine. Come with me to the kitchen.

“I got something for you yesterday but we were all pretty upset. She showed him a box from the bakery that had a small cake. It could be cut into four slices. 

“Mom, there is no way we can afford….

She put her finger on his lips. “I told the baker you were turning twelve and he didn’t have to pay me for laundry this week. I was just hoping for some cookies or maybe a cupcake you could share with your brother. The baker’s a nice guy. This cake costs five times his laundry but he has a soft spot for 12 year olds. 

“Mom…..you need every penny you make. You spent money on cookies for Garrett’s birthday last week. You didn’t have to get me anything.

“I know that but….can’t you just let me do something for my little boy before he completely becomes a man? Just try to enjoy it and if don‘t think about the cost. That‘s what I‘ll have to do with the Tessarae for the next six years. When I serve it for breakfast can you smile? Say thank you. 

 

He smiled and hugged his mother. “Okay, Mom. Thank you…for everything. I’ll wake up Garrett.


End file.
